Get to Know Tonya Hurley

Welcome to Get to Know [Author], an interview series in which I ask questions that help us get to know the person behind the book. This week I’m featuring Tonya Hurley, the author of The Blessed! To learn more about The Blessed, check out my review! If you’re looking for a quick rundown, here’s the deal: three girls, Agnes, Cecilia, and Lucy, meet a mysterious young man who believes that he is a saint. He also believes that the girls are, too. Is he crazy?

Quickie Questions
Planner or pantser? Some planning, but mostly Panster!
Ideal vacation spot? Shopping at a flea market in Paris, in the mountains of Aspen, or on the water in Bali.
Favorite place to write? My attic.
Current jam? I am currently listening to “FLY ON THE WINDSCREEN” cover of the Depeche Mode track that Vince Clarke and Ane Brun covered for THE BLESSED trailer.
Current read? I am re-reading Patti Smith’s Just Kids. She is an extraordinary wordsmith.

Lengthier Questions
Three fun facts about yourself?
1. I am an identical twin.
2. I am a distant relative of the late Yvonne De Carlo, the actress who is most famous for playing Lily Munster.
3. The first real friend I met when I moved to New York in the early ’90s was Zach Galifianakis while camping out all night for SNL tickets.

With which saint do you identify the most? Which saint is your favorite?
I think my favorite saint is Cecilia. She is the patron saint of music and the way I’ve written her in THE BLESSED, she is probably most like me when I moved to New York. I do love Saint Lucy artwork with her eyes on the platter, and of course, Agnes’s story of her hair growing down to her ankles to cover her naked body as she was forced to walk to a brothel.

Some poking around has led me to discover that you’re involved in the world of film! If you could make THE BLESSED into a film or TV show (I know movie rights have already been sold, but let’s continue with the hypothetical), who would you cast as the three leading ladies?
I wouldn’t dare fantasy cast at this point (at least in public forum!) [Lauren: can't blame me for trying! :P]

Comment question for readers: Which saint is your favorite? (They all seem to have interesting stories, like the one Tonya mentioned for Cecilia!)

New York Times bestselling ghostgirl author, Tonya Hurley, has credits spanning all platforms of teen entertainment. Her first novel, ghostgirl was an instant best-seller and has received starred reviews from the literary publications Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, VOYA and School Library Journal. Her second book in the series, ghostgirl: Homecoming, was released July 1, 2009. The ghostgirl audiobooks are narrated by Parker Posey with original music by Vince Clarke. The thrid book in the series, ghostgirl Lovesick was released on July 12, 2010. The first book in Tonya’s upcoming trilogy THE BLESSED will be released by Simon & Schuster September 25, 2012. She is represented by William Morris Endeavor and is a member of Writers Guild of America.